Yin-Yang
by Our-Lady-B o n b o n
Summary: "What happened?" Sakuya whispered, leaning down to look at the poor girl, "Do you...Think she-she's. ..." She couldn't continue. So Kyoshiro voiced the thought she was having such a difficult time iterating,"Dead?" ShinreixOC HotaruxOC Please R & R!
1. Prologue

_A/N: Hello and welcome~_

_Well this was originally meant to be a short prologue. But somewhere along the way it turned into a little less than a full length chapter. But anyway, this is my first Samurai Deeper Kyo fanfiction and a fresh attempt at dual couples. It's hard enough to develop one pairing, let alone two and I don't particularly like the ones where the character/couple developments are paralleled and occur in the same situations. Of course, since it's a dual pairing fiction, that will occur to some extent but it won't start out like that._

_So to avoid any confusion in the future, I'll explain the mechanics of the narration right now. Basically, even though there is one plot with interconnected elements of the two pairings, they're going to start out separately. Shinrei and his OC will be in a separate storyline as will Hotaru and his OC. I'll update their respective stories in alternate chapters until the four meet and their plots converge. The prologue is kind of mutual, at least it seems so at the beginning and chapter one relates to Shinrei, two to Hotaru and so forth. I realize it might get sort of confusing at times, especially when transitioning from the prologue to one, however I'll do my best to keep things simple but interesting. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me directly or leave them in a review._

_More later, but for now, happy reading, I hope!_

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Samurai Deeper Kyo (c) Akimine Kamijyo

Yin-Yang (c) Our-Lady- Bonbon

* * *

_Prologue_

"You do not deserve to live," the hatred in his tone was evident, seeping through every syllable he uttered in his low, even voice. And yet, despite the open threat, there was no hint of malice but rather a heaviness that barely veiled the pain underscoring those words. It was hatred born of a grief so deep, the scars had left holes that could not be filled.

She faced the guard, her expression just as unreadable as the porcelain mask that covered it. Her stance was relaxed and had he not known any better- of the heartless deeds this woman was capable of committing, of her skill and the terror she inspired- he would have almost believed that she was a harmless doll. The thought was so ludicrous, and yet the presumption based on appearance, so dangerous, that he almost cracked a smile. No, she was a shadow, perfectly silent and unmoving- invisible and overlooked by the world, yet ever present and waiting, to strike at the most critical moments. But he was responsible for protecting the lands of the Mibu, and he vowed he would not allow this demon to enter and destroy the fragile peace that existed within the clan, after centuries of war.

That was his first mistake.

But blissfully ignorant of the fact that he was sealing his fate with each passing second, he launched into attack, with speed that was worthy of a battle doll of the Mibu clan.

* * *

Mibu Kyoshiro was humming a tune loudly as he traversed through the dense thicket of foliage. Despite the lack of light that could penetrate the trees that overshadowed the forest floor, his merry tune echoed through the area as if brightening it already. He could appreciate the stark difference between this trip and his last few forays into the depths of Aokigahara forest, the most notable being the outstanding absence of genetically modified people attacking and trying to kill him at every turn. He had his customary medicine box, its weight against his back almost reassuring him that all was well.

And yet, as a trained assassin for years, his instincts were prickling.

Sakuya found herself looking down at the ground where she had been standing only a fraction of a second ago, faced with a thin, pointed arrow that was embedded in the ground along with a torn piece of white cloth dampened slightly by a pale red that could only be the missing part of the sleeve of her yukata stained by the beads of blood that trailed from the shallow cut on her arm.

'Shit,' The navy haired Mibu cursed under his breath, blaming himself for not getting Sakuya out of the line of fire on time. Peaceful times had made him hesitant to listen to his instinct, and pushing the coal haired girl behind him he stood in a protective stance, prepared to battle the perpetrator. The sight that greeted him was one that should've been both the first and last thing he expected. _Spoke too soon, didn't I?_ The voice in his head was dripping with irony even as he dodged another arrow with the deftness and grace of a predator.

Both figures were moving too fast for the human eye to catch anything but a blur of colours against a backdrop of verdant green. But Kyoshiro could make out the figure of a human female, running circles around her opponent who looked to be panting heavily. Both fighters were donned in Mibu armour that was typically assigned to the external guards of the gate. The male was a resident of Aokigahara as evidenced by his coarse, blue-green skin that almost blended in with the surroundings. The female was seemingly human and except for her long, flowing coal black hair that hung straight down her back, Kyoshiro couldn't make out any of her features through the smooth, ivory, porcelain mask that covered her face. Two narrow slits allowed her to see, but effectively prevented exposure of any distinguishable trait. The rest of the mask was as smooth as silk and as white as ivory. It must have been crafted from sturdy material as it showed no signs of wear nor did it seem as if it hindered her breathing.

''Sakuya, stay hidden,'' Kyoshiro said forcefully, his eyes never straying from the two warriors as he pushed his charge gently behind a large tree a distance away from the site of the altercation. He couldn't distinguish the intruder from the guard due to their attire. He was worried for Sakuya but considering the fading battle noises, they might have been invisible to the two fighters for all the attention they were being paid. He would have to return to the battlefield once he had gotten Sakuya to safety.

Just as he was formulating a plan of action, he heard a brutal shriek coming from the depths of the forest. And he ran.

What they found, was the corpse of the dead guard, his blood staining the grass bright red. There was a gaping hole in his chest, marking the brutality of his death and yet, there was an oddly peaceful look on his face, as if he had been numbed from the pain.

The blue haired man's eyes narrowed at the conundrum and despite the seeming calm, he was still aware that the danger had not abated. There were no traces of a female body anywhere in the vicinity and continuing their search further would only result in putting them in greater danger. And so he made a decision. A hard object brushed against his arm and he looked towards his companion whose eyes spoke of the same decision, as she held out his medicine box. He would stitch the dying man to the best of his abilities and he would carry him to the capital for a proper burial. He would inform the Mibu of this occurrence and they would find the culprit together. And so Kyoshiro set to work.

* * *

The girl in the mask could steadily feel herself being drained of her energy as the battle continued. Concealed underneath the shield of her armor and the mask, her chest rose and fell in deep, heavy breaths while her bones screamed due to the exertion. Watching her opponent with weary eyes, she attempted to end it without bloodshed, one final time.

''If you want to live another day, let me pass," His face contorted in disgust as he replied with a direct blow that might have severed her head had she been less careful, ''I would rather die protecting the Mibu than live another day under the shame of having let its enemy escape.'' He was close enough this time; enough to see through the mask into her eyes: their charcoal depths and the sight of it set his heart beating with fear for there was not a single trace of emotion, of light, or humanity in them. In that single moment, despite the fact that he had seemingly had the upper hand, had trapped her, both of them instinctively knew the outcome of the events to follow.

She felt her arms move of their own volition, mechanically repeating actions she had performed innumerable times before. The coarse leather and metal and gave away easily and her arms pushed through to find smooth skin and continued until she was clutching his heart. The Mibu gaurd instinctively felt his end draw near and holding his gaze straight and strong, braced himself for the agony that awaited. He would die a warrior's death. He saw his opponent's eyes shut in apprehension as if she were the one who was fearful. Before he could comprehend this revelation, he felt his conscious slipping rapidly. And yet he felt no pain. The last thing he could recall hearing was a blood curdling screen as his heart was ripped out of his chest.

* * *

She was dying.

A spray of crimson adorned her ivory mask along with her dark clothes but she noticed none of it as she ripped them off, discarding the bloodied armour. The feeling left her with an odd sense of deja vu, and the image of his heart lying on the mossy floor of the forest, flung far away from the body. She knew it had still been contracting of its own volition, even though she couldn't see it. But it was a sight that had been ingrained in her mind like a poisonous seed that germinated to lay waste to everything around it. It wasn't an image- a feeling she could ever rid herself of.  
Another scream tore out of her as she felt a thousand needles tear into her chest. The pain displayed no sign of fading as it continued to mercilessly yet methodically stab through her. She continued clawing at her chest, at the ghost of a wound, running through an endless passage of green and black. And just as she had done so many times before, she wished she really were dying. She wished she had never existed. She wished it would end. But for one rare moment, her wish was granted and she felt the clear, cool water of a stream greet her burning skin before slipping into peaceful unconscious.

* * *

"Kyoshiro!" An appalled voice rang out, the horror echoing in every syllable.

Within a flash, the dark haired man was at her side, his eyes alert and stance indicating the fact that he was prepared for battle, as were five guards travelling back with them as personal escorts assigned by the leader of the Mibu, for the sake of their protection. Instead, he was met with the same gruesome sight that had shocked Sakuya so.  
"It w-was...her," The girl's pitch black eyes were widened and her voice shook as she approached the body, "It was her scream we heard."

There she was, or rather it was, a female covered in blood and dirt. What had once been full sleeved, close fitting veridian top and pants were now soaking wet and tattered in several places by the force of the rushing waters. Her skin had taken on a bluish tinge that made her seem ethereal and to Kyoshiro, who was a healer, the depth of blue seemed abnormal even for someone who had become hypothermic. Her hair was a deep red, sticking close to her pale skin and just as short as his own hair.

"She must have been carried down this far by the river, from the forest," one of their guards spoke up, "No wonder we couldn't find her everywhere we searched."

"What happened?" Sakuya whispered, leaning down to look at the poor girl, "Do you...Think she-she's. ..." She couldnt't continue. So Kyoshiro voiced the thought she was having such a difficult time iterating.

"Dead?"

* * *

_A/N: If you've managed to come this far and you don't entirely hate it, thanks a lot! Haha, but either way, a review would be appreciated, with constructive criticism or a word of encouragement so I know this is worth continuing._

_Thankyou,_

_-Bon chan_


	2. Chapter 1

_AN: Hello again! My sincerest thanks to __**InsanityX2, TheOneWhoCannotEven, KimKami **__and __**sparkleMonster28 **__for the reviews, as well as everyone who favourited the story or put it on the alert list! Not much to say except I hope this chapter clarifies some events. I wrote it on my phone while I was at work, so I apologize before hand for any mistakes I might have made. If there are any confusions, do ask and I'll try my best to be more clear in the rest of the chapters. (=_

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Samurai Deeper Kyo © Akimine Kamijyo

Yin-Yang © Our Lady Bonbon

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_Chapter 1_

* * *

"_Reject," _A blinding light illuminated the room, as a lone figure sat with her arms outstretched, a look of severe concentration on her face. The silhouette of her palms was barely visible through the intensity of the glow while they hovered over the battered figure of a girl.

"I've healed the physical injuries as well as the damage to her system, by the disease," Akari frowned, pulling her sleeves back down to her palms, their radiance diminishing, "But I can't cure her, without testing her blood at the facility. The antibodies in Ruru's blood still have to be modified to create a proper dose for her."

"What about the general dose you use for the other Mibu?" He pushed a stray strand of his silver hair back from his eyes, a slight crease between his eyebrows. His patience was wearing thin as it was.

Akari waited a beat, before she began hesitantly, "Well…," she paused as if unsure how to continue. "There are…anomalies, in her blood," she said, finally, turning away from Shinrei to look at the unconscious patient with a clear look of confused irritation.

"Anomalies?" The Mibu leader's eyes narrowed, suspicion flaring immediately.

"How should I explain this?" The shaman wondered aloud, her frown deepening, "When I used _Reject _on her, I noticed quite a bit of damage. While some of it was physical, the majority of it was internal…" she trailed off.

"Because of the death disease," Shinrei stated with surety, but his confusion was showing.

"Yes," Akari verified, "But even with the disease, I've never seen such accelerated symptoms," she continued, before he could interrupt again, "By accelerated, I mean, extensive damage to organs that is typical of the disease. But the strange part is that it has all been _healed."_

"You're saying she has antibodies too?" Kyoshiro spoke up for the first time since the conversation began. Despite its low volume, the urgency in his voice gave away the shock he truly felt.

"While it's possible, I don't think that's the case," The peach haired woman's frown deepened, "It was healed, but temporarily. The effect is similar to what happens when I _Reject _it_. _Every time it progressed, something or other pushed it back. But even disease mutates, so the more she healed, the less effective it was each time and the more the disease accelerated. That, coupled with her physical injuries, is probably what caused her to faint."

_Damn._

That was her first coherent thought_. Nothing like impending doom to get one out of a coma_. But even with her attempts at finding the dry humour in the situation, she could feel the pinpricks of panic at the back of her mind. She had broken her own cardinal rule; she had been discovered. She didn't know how long she had been unconscious, but regardless, that must have been enough time for them to have found out enough, if not everything. On top of the burgeoning terror, she could feel the weight of her physical wounds in the form of an uncomfortable numbness and the acute exhaustion that seemed to make every bone in her body scream. She felt as if her head weighed a ton and even though she wasn't doing anything even mildly taxing, simply maintaining consciousness drained her. So she decided to stay as she was, trying to glean how much the enemy knew, for as long as she could.

"But it's been four days and she hasn't woken up yet," The fifth occupant interjected, her tone soft and yet infused with worry. Sakuya had found the poor girl and cared for her until Shinrei and Akari had arrived. Yet, with each passing day that she hadn't regained consciousness, she felt even more distressed.

"She'll be fine now, Sakuya," Kyoshiro placed an arm around the timid girl, his face softening as he tried to reassure her, "You should trust Akari-chan." The shaman smiled, affirming his claim and nodding comfortingly she returned to her explanation, "Her body just shut down, which is why she's been comatose this long. Although why that is…well, we won't know until we ask."

"I'm sorry to be asking you this, Sakuya-sama," Shinrei interrupted the silence that pervaded the atmosphere, his voice hard, ''But did you notice anything that could tell us why she might have been attacked, as you dressed her wounds?"

_Here it comes._

But if they were asking this now, that must mean the Mibu envoy had arrived very recently. If she knew the Mibu, then only a few hours past perhaps. Even with the prior warning, she couldn't figure out what to do next. Surely they had to take her back to their new leader? With her health as it was now, she had no hope of defeating a Mibu in battle, let alone the shaman who she gathered, had healed her. In the midst of all the chaos, a sudden thought struck her. Had it not been for the Shaman's intervention, she might not have regained consciousness this time at all. Despite its implications, she absorbed it with an odd sense of calm.

"N-no," Sakuya hesitated for a beat, before stating clearly, "They were standard sword wounds."

The assertion jolted the conscious patient from her reverie. _What the hell is she playing at?_ Her mind was a tangle of confusion. What did that mean? She had just admitted to being the one to dress her wounds. Furthermore she could _feel _the alien soft cotton of the yukata against her skin which was so used to fitted armour instead. So she must have _seen_.

_Is she __**lying**__? _It made no sense. Why would she? The man had called her Sakuya and if memory served, she was Sakuya, the seer of the previous Aka no Ou.

A tense silence reigned in the room, even as the supposedly unconscious girl waited for someone to clear up her confused mind. For a long time, her hope proved futile, until Kyoshiro finally broke the ice.

"Do you think she was attacked by that person?" His question was directed at the troubled silver haired Mibu.

But Shinrei didn't say anything in response. His face was contorted in a look of intense frustration. He was supposed to protect the Mibu. That was his promise to Fubuki-sensei; to ensure a future for the battle dolls that formed the Mibu clan. _He _was supposed to be their leader. But he couldn't do anything; not even protect a single girl who was caught in the backlash of something that had nothing to do with her.

"For now, that's the most likely explanation," Akari interjected, "But Shinrei, you shouldn't blame yourself," She added, her tone much softer than it had been before.

"Protecting the Mibu is _my _responsibility," His voice was low, but even the wounded girl who could barely retain her consciousness could feel the rage that underscore those words. It was as if a chill had settled in the room, freezing the air in the atmosphere and it was all she could do not to react to the shivers that ran down her spine. All of a sudden, she was infinitely grateful that she would not be forced to fight him. Yet.

"Even so, you can't prevent bad things from happening every time," Kyoshiro replied in an even tone, "The intruder must have been fairly skilled if she could infiltrate the Aka no Ou's tower so easily." This time he frowned.

"The most pressing question right now is why she attacked this girl." Akari looked down at her patient, "Maybe she'll be able to help us with identifying the intruder and finding out what she wanted from that tower."

_Ah. So that's how it is._ The girl in question felt a sharp stab at her chest as the dark humour of the situation became evident to her. _Apparently, I'm supposed to have attacked myself. _She almost felt like laughing at the irony of it all, but settled on processing the rest of the information. _Shinrei. _Her mind wandered, as the name brought back a single memory that she didn't realize she still had. A hazy image of a silver haired little boy with eyes full of curiosity appeared in her mind. But before her thoughts could veer towards unknown territory, she reined them in to focus on the matter at hand.

_The Mibu is his responsibility, he said. _She recalled what she had known about one of the Goyosei allegedly being in charge of the rehabilitation of the clan. _So it was him. Of course. _Granted she had only ever had glimpses of him back when she was part of the Mibu clan, but even so his words gave her the impression that he was still that curious, little boy. _Protect the Mibu, huh? Always so naïve. _She could almost look forward to seeing his reaction when he discovered who she truly was. She was sure he would, at some point but she was also banking on the fact that she would be gone by then.

Suddenly, the door to the room was yanked open as another person entered the room. He wore the standard ninja garb and was panting in obvious exhaustion as he kneeled and bowed. The only things that gave away the fact that he was not human, were the pale blue scales that covered the exposed skin around his eyes.

But all the wounded girl noticed were his words, interspersed with heavy breaths.

"Forgive me for intruding, Shinrei-sama, but I've come to inform you that the intruder has been found."

_The intruder has been WHAT?_

"She was sighted near the Korean border. Unfortunately our ninjas weren't able to capture her. We believe she is on the run." He continued.

Shinrei was about to issue a command to lay low and find out more information about her before they attempted another attack.

The seemingly unconscious girl had realized what he had meant the moment he mentioned China. In a way they had found the attacker in Aokigahara, but that only meant that she, herself, was in greater danger. Inwardly cursing the series of events that had gotten her in this predicament, she let out an audible groan which was by no means an act. Her head was pounding and her body felt as heavy as lead. Predictably, her stirring had captured the attention of the room's occupants.

She felt an arm supporting her back as she attempted to sit up. The ghost of pain persisted in her chest and for a while, she kept her eyes closed to calm down the sudden spike in her heart rate. Had she known better, she wouldn't have bothered because as soon as she opened her eyes, they were met by pure gold. It was a colour she hadn't seen in a long time, and despite having prepared herself to act out the part of the victim perfectly, the naked shock on her face was entirely genuine.

He had grown up. Obviously. She had expected it, and yet she realized that in her mind she had continued to associate the name Shinrei with the innocent, kind hearted and strong willed child she had known. To her, he had never grown up. And now that she was faced with reality, she found that it was a struggle reconciling memories of the past to this stranger in the present. His hair had grown out. His face had shed the round innocence of a child to take on the sharp contours of a man. His limbs were longer, leaner and even though he was sitting down it was evident that he had grown much taller. Only the gold of his eyes hadn't changed but even within them she could not recognise the person he had become. They were no longer open to her.

And they no longer knew her.

"It's alright," he said, mistaking her astonishment for fear, "The Goyosei no longer exist and the Mibu are no longer punished for leaving the clan for the outside world. You must have known if you were returning, right?"

His voice had gotten deeper, was the only thought she could comprehend. It was kinder too, and calmer. But it was also more grave. He believed she had been one of those Mibu who escaoed during the tyranny of the Taishirou. She opened her lips but no words came out.

"You need to be hydrated," another voice interjected and the patient felt a mug of clear liquid against her lips. She hadn't realized just how parched she was until the liquid was soothing her dry throat. And through the entire ordeal her wide eyes never left his.

So she forced herself to look away and aimed her glance towards the mug, noticing for the first time, her reflection. It was a face she hadn't seen in a long time. Not since she had left the Mibu.

Pitch black eyes stared back at her making it impossible to differentiate pupil from iris. The blurry reflection in the water revealed a long, shallow cut running across her right cheek, covered in a light green salve. A few more cuts and scratches marked her neck as well, courtesy of her recent battle against the forest guard, but in spite of that she could not recall the last time she had looked so clean. Her short crimson hair had been combed into place and her blood and grime covered clothing had been replaced by a pure white yukata. Ever since she had fled from the Mibu, she had been shifting her appearance, taking care not to stay in one place too long lest the person whose face she was stealing happened to appear. Being a battle doll granted her power, and if there was even a whisper of her whereabouts, the consequences might be disastrous.

"You-," She began but her voice was barely above a whisper. Clearing her throat, she tried again, "Mibu Shinrei, the new clan leader?"  
The silver haired boy met her gaze head on, "Yes."

"What is your name?" Turning around, she noticed another occupant, this one with long flowing hair and an extravagant getup. Her beauty was almost ethereal but both her eyes and voice were kind.

"A-," She began before checking herself. Which name? Ironically enough, Shinrei seemed to read her mind.

"It's okay," Strange how he could sound strict and reassuring at the same time, "You don't have to use your Mibu name."

Except he had misunderstood her hesitation for fear of being pulled back to whatever hell he had believed the clan had imposed on her. That it was the other way round would never occur to him. The best lies had an element of the truth and it was precisely because he could never fathom the truth behind her words that she decided to give him just that.

"Tsuri Aya."

* * *

_A/N: This chapter was a little longer than expected. At any rate, thank you for reading! And I'd REALLY appreciate any comments, constructive criticism etc. Your opinions are very important if I have any hope of learning to write better!_

_Thank you!_

_-BON chan_


	3. Chapter 2

_A/N: Hello again everyone! It's been a while since I updated. Even though I had most of this chapter written out before, it took me a while to come back to write the rest. At any rate, I'm extremely grateful to _**AriyaKnight, TheOneWhoCannotEven, InsanityX2, sparkleMonster28**_ (Thanks for pointing that out! I revised it to just red.), _**Renita-chii**_ and _**kimiKami. **_Additionally, lots of thanks to everyone who favourited/alerted the story as well! You guys make my day!  
I won't keep you and my longer. As promised and in keeping with the alternating narrative, this is a Hotaru-centric chapter. But there are elements from the previous chapters so it shouldn't be too confusing. I'm still introducing my characters so bear with it a while please. And any questions you might have, feel free to let me know any I'll do my best to address them!_

_Edits: I've altered the location of the place where the intruder was sighted, to Korea instead of China (Chapter 1).  
Aya's hair is Red, as stated in the prologue, not brown._

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Samurai Deeper Kyo © Akimine Kamijyo

Yin-Yang © Our Lady Bonbon

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_Chapter 2_

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"_You_."

There were only two people in the entire forest and one of them was the speaker. So logically, he _had_ to be the one being referred to. He had sensed his approach while the newcomer was still a distance away and yet the lone man had hoped that it was merely a passerby, in the hopes that his moment of peace would continue. _About time_, a part of him whispered. He had felt this particular person's presence following him for almost a week now. And yet, he continued staring down at his perch on the back of a particularly long bamboo shoot.

His ears pricked at a sound. Metal slid against metal. He felt the breeze that arose as it cut through the air in a smooth motion. And he grinned.

Well he had _half_ hoped.

The two weapons clashed with unnatural speed and strength. A normal human being might have been too overwhelmed by the force of the attack and required every ounce of concentration to hold their ground in the stalemate. In some corner of his mind, the attacker realized that his opponent was not. Neither normal nor human.

He really wasn't, the blonde chuckled in response to the thought that was inevitably running through his attacker's mind. He was good. But he couldn't give Hotaru the challenge he craved, not entirely at least. Even so, after weeks of travelling through the countryside, battling every drunk brawler and low ranked soldier in his attempts to exercise his excess energy, he was left disappointed

Looking carefully now, he was simultaneously impressed and surprised at his latest opponent's abilities. He was a child. Short, petite and perhaps pre adolescent, his entire body and face covered in light but durable, black armour that was characteristic of the group that had been pursuing him. The blonde felt a faint irritation flaring up, not because he disliked the idea of children fighting. In fact, the younger you were when you learned to fight, the better, especially if someone was at a level greater than that of every single person he had battled thus far in this godforsaken country. However, sending a child, regardless of his skill, to battle against an intruder alone did _not_ sit well with him. In his book, that clearly branded them as cowards. Or was this kid playing truant? _Even better, then._

He danced away from the attacker, using the bare minimum of his abilities so as to drag the battle out a bit longer.  
And he felt faint pinpricks brush against his hands. There were strands of golden strewn across the soft ground, seemingly gleaming under the light of the setting sun. For a moment, he was shocked. In spite of his condescending manner and careless defense, he had never expected any of the attacks to hit home. And even though it couldn't even be classified as an injury, the fact that his opponent had had the foresight to strike when he had underestimated him pricked his interest. Four more of him and they might have had a close fight.

A passing thought morphed into a prediction as four more warriors _did_ enter their battlefield donned in the same armor as his opponent and wielding matching swords. It took Hotaru all but the fraction of a second in order to appraise the situation and react, seeming more energetic than ever as he opened himself to the impending attacks.  
And yet, in a day filled with what seemed to be innumerable surprises, this seemed to be the biggest one of all.  
The four new warriors charged at the child, simultaneously without as much as a glance towards the blonde. Judging from his reaction, he wasn't prepared for this turn of events either; and that, in itself piqued the blonde's interest and he leaned on one leg watching the events unfold before him.

The five warriors were identical in almost every single way which, coupled with the fact that they were moving quite fast, the five were almost impossible to discern. As it was, Hotaru was using their stark difference in builds in order to distinguish between the attackers and their victim. Although, victim might not have been the most accurate word for him, as the child was doing fairly well holding his own. But defending against four people about double his stature was costing him his offense and keeping his agility and concentration up would take a toll on his stamina if he was forced to continue long enough.

Even so, Hotaru made no move to budge from his perch atop a low bamboo shoot. He was intrigued enough that he wanted to be able to witness how this battle played out, but not curious enough to want to intervene. He would much rather have hoped that he be the one to fight multiple opponents despite the fact that only one out of the five was just barely worthy of fighting against him. Because even though he had initially assumed all five were equally matched, it was evident that the newcomers were individually quite weak. His ear piqued as he heard voices from below, but to his dismay he could not understand a word of the seeming gibberish that was being spoken. Damned country.

"What are you _doing_?!" The voice held as much force as its owner's attack as sword clashed against sword and two warriors were locked in a stalemate, and what had once been shock was swiftly giving way to anger.

"You betrayed us," came the reply in a similarly harsh tone.

"_How_?" There was naked astonishment evident in the tone, undoubtable in its sincerity even to the hardest of hearts.

"You..." the sword remained still but its owners voice trailed away hesitantly, "There were reports of you breaking into-'' He stopped abruptly, having realized the fact that he might have been about to give away too much.

"Break in _where_?! What are you talking about?! I've been on _this_ mission for the past week!" All the anger had evaporated by now, giving way to unbridled confusion. The child pushed off another one of her nameless assailants, gasping for breath.

Crystal clear pools of blue stared back at the assassin and for a fraction of a second, he considered the play of emotions spattered across them like an open book, revealing confusion, hope, despair and hard resignation all at once, in direct contrast to the dark mask that shielded the rest of the face. And in that moment, his own eyes reflected the decision he had come to. His sword slackened and stepping backwards, his pulled off his own mask to reveal a world weary face, softened by time and hardened by experience. Fine wrinkles lined his as yet taut face and snow white wispy hair adorned his head, cut very short for a warriors convenience. He raised an arm and his subordinates halted mid attack, equally confused.

"What have you done now, child?" His voice sounded resigned and determined at the same time.

"I haven't...Wait, you believe me?!" The shock was evident, even to Hotaru who seemed to have become invisible somewhere along the way.

The elder man's eyes softened at the tone and he attempted to speak up, but what he meant to say they would never know. Eyes widened in shock, he yelled out, running forward. Even then he knew that he would not be able to reach there in the nick of time.

The child clad in armor noticed a flash of colour in the periphery and yet, it moved so fast that reacting on time was an impossible task. It took a while for comprehension to dawn and when it did; the scene it yielded was a source of surprise for everyone present.

There was Hotaru, standing perfectly still like a statue as if he had been there all along. His hand was gripped around an unsheathed sword blocking its attack and yet he displayed no signs of being wounded. If anything, he looked bored. Gripping the sword with his face cringed in unabashed fury and loathing was another man in identical armour. His eyes were dark blue and as cold and hard as ice but the headgear covered the remainder of any features that might be able to distinguish him. Noticing the newcomer who was responsible for the failure of his attack, he growled loudly, his face contorting with rage. The blonde had effectively blocked one of the men from murdering his former opponent, simply because he believed there were certain rules to be followed in battle. And none but the lowest of scum broke them.

"Only cowards attack people from behind," he iterated, "You'd have to be lower than a coward to attack a kid while his back's turned."

The insurgent had no response but he heard a slightly muffled voice call out in horror from behind him, "B - brother?"  
They both faced the diminutive soldier, whose bright emerald eyes were reflecting every emotion being felt.

"Just _what_ is the meaning of this, Dae-Hyun?" The gruff voice of the military commander rang out with authority, as he made his way towards the

"Don't protect a traitor, grandfather. I won't allow you to sabotage the mission because of your _sympathy_," The condescending sneer was evident in his tone as well as the slant of his eyes. Despite addressing his kin and leader, his eyes never left the blonde haired stranger.

"This _traitor_ is your _family_!" He yelled. Despite the identical deep blue, his eyes were emblazoned with a rage that seemed as if it might burn out the ice in his grandson's.

_"Never."_ Even whispered, the hatred showed in every syllable that he uttered.

"Nii-" The wistful, torn voice whispered involuntarily but was cut off.

"_Shut up_!" He was still screaming something incomprehensible when he broke off the stalemate and launched again at his target. Even at a glance, Hotaru could recognize that the latter's abilities were quite above average for a human, and a free surpassed that of the child-assassin.

This time, instead, he was met with another sword from the elderly leader of the team. And it didn't end there. Abruptly, a serene clearing had morphed into a bloody battlefield as even more soldiers joined the altercation.  
This time though, Hotaru recognized them.

More unintelligible conversation followed and in the periphery of his conscious, the blonde realized that his assassin and the older soldier were exchanging heated words. But that was drowned out by the shock of what he was witnessing.

The new soldiers weren't donned in the typical dark armour he had become accustomed to by courtesy of his day's adventures. However these men were wearing dark blue, light weight armour in a style that was entirely characteristic of the Mibu.

* * *

_Why is this happening?__  
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There have been reports...Of you having broken into the Mibu facility.__  
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The Mibu?! The Mibu are a myth!__  
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You must run, child!_

_But you'll be-_

_GO!_

The conversation replayed continuously, fresh in mind as if a germinating poisonous seed. In the span of a single day, life had turned upside down. The child did not know what to do; how to comprehend this horrifying situation. Grandfather would be branded an accomplice to a traitor. He would take the fall. He would be the sacrifice. Grief, confusion, fear...And finally the emotions morphed into anger.

Yet, running was all that could be done. Until it was impossible to tell where in the forest the lone wanderer had arrived or even what time it was.

The figure finally stopped, unwillingly but unable to continue due to extreme fatigue, both physical and mental. Even in that state, training kicked in and the warning bells resounded as the soft crunch of leaves indicated the arrival of an oddly familiar presence. _Why is he here?_ Standing in a defensive position, the assassin prepared to resume the fight that had been interrupted.

But for once, that was not what Hotaru was looking for.

The blonde stood before his attacker, without making a move so as to allow him time to realize that he meant no harm.

"Hey there, kid." He raised a hand in greeting, assuming the gesture would be understood better by the Korean, instead of his Japanese words.

A hard look came into the child's eyes, as 'he' pushed off his mask as well as headgear and regarded the blonde with an annoyed look. Rightfully so, as what came next was undoubtedly the biggest surprise the blonde had gotten in a day where every moment could epitomize the word.

Dark black hair was held up tightly in a bun at the base of the skull and a pale face with startling aquamarine eyes returned his gaze with the utmost annoyance.

It wasn't a child. Not in the literal sense of the word. What was more important was the fact that she was…

_A girl_.

"_Don't_ call me a kid."

And as it so happened, she spoke perfect Japanese.

* * *

_A/N: Because the Shinseiten is made of only men and the Goyosei only had two (technically one) girl, I'm going to assume Akira isn't too accustomed to women warriors. And hence, the shock. Especially since he'd always assumed it was a boy._

_Bu what'd you think? Let me know in address review pleaaaase! It's no fun writing if I don't get to hear what the readers are thinking! =D__  
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Till next time,__  
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-BON Chan_


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